Electric switch



March 31, 1931. N E 1,798,752

ELECTRIC SWITCH Original Filed July 25, 1927 ferred form of embodimentof Patented Mar. 31, '1931 "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY E.NORVIEL, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO DELCO-REMY CORPORA- TION, OIDAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE ELECTRIC SWITCH Applicationfiled July 25, 1927, Serial No. 208,084. Renewed January 13, .1930.

This invention relates to electrical switches for controlling theelectrical circuits of an automobile and one of its objects is tosimplify the construction of and reduce the cost of manufacture ofswitches of this type.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein a pre- Y the present invention is clearly shown.

Inthe drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a ing the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1..

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary back view looking in the direction of arrow 3 inFig. 2.

Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views taken switch embodyrespectively on thelines 4-4 and 55 of Fig. 2.

Figs. 6 and 7 are fragmentary sectional Views taken respectively on thelines 6-6 and 77 of Fig. 4.

In the drawings, 20 designates the main supporting plate or mountingbracket of the switch. The bracket 20 is provided with hooked ears 21which engage anglebars 22 extending along the back of an instrumentboard 23 and secured thereto in any suitable manner. The bracket 20 isprovided with a tubular switch case portion 24 to which is attached anon-conducting switch back 25 carrying tubular rivets 26 which provideswitch terminals and which are counterbored at 27 to provide conicalsurfaces providing the stationary switch contacts. The periphery of theback 25' is notched to receive tangs 28 extending from the tubularportion 24. The tangs are bent" at 29 against the back 25 to secure thesame to the part 24.

The bracket 20 supports a dial plate 30 attached thereto by bezel ring31 having a fiat flange 32 in engagement with the bracket 20 andsecuredv thereto by tangs 33 which are bent into notches 34 provided inthe bracket 20 and bent against the back side of the bracket. Whenassembled with the bracket,

50 the dial plate 30 is'provided with an aperture 35, the wall of whichprovides a bearing 39 and 40 which bear against for the hub 36 of alever 37.

Lever 37 is provided within the switch case a non-conducting plate 43which is rotatable 7 about a pin 44 attached to the back 25. As the pin44 is coaxial with the bearing 35, it is apparent that this pin andbearing cooperate to rotatably support the handle 37 and plate 43. Thetangs 41 of the handle 37 pass also intorectangular holes 45 in anon-conducting plate 46 so that the plate 46 will be driven by thehandle. The plate 46 is drivingly connected with a contact disc 47 andwith a non-conducting plate 48 by rivets 49 along which theplate 47 andthe plate 48 are freely slidable. The heads of the rivets 49 limit theseparation of the'plates 47 and 48 from the plate 46 due to the springs50. One end of each spring bears against a cup-shaped spring seat member[51 which is received by aligned holes in the plates 43 and are eachreceived within a semi-spherical recess provided by a semi-sphericalembossed portion 53 providingone of the contacts of thecontact plate 47.The contacts 53 are urged by the springs 50 into engagement with theinner surface of the switch back 25 or into engagement with certain ofthe stationary contacts 27 for the purpose of controlling the lightingcircuit of an automobile. If desired, the rivets 49 may be freelyslidable through the plate 46 and the heads thereof are received byholes 54 in the plate 43. The disc 48 is journalled upon the pin 44.This construction aids in maintaining concentricity between the plates43, 46 and the contact plate 47. p I

The disc 48. supports a contact plate which is drivingly connected withthe plate 48 by providing it with notches 61 which plate 60 is providedwith notches 63 for clearing the heads of therivets 49 so that the plate60 will be insulated from the plate 47. Plate 60 is provided withbuttons 64 and 65 providing switch contacts which are engageable witharcuate contact plates 66 and 67 respectively for the purpose ofconnecting 5 an ignition coil terminal 68 with a battery terminal 69with which the contact 67 is always connected.

The springs 50 urge the contacts 64 and 65 into engagement with thecontacts 66 and 67 as well as urging the lighting switch contact 53 intoengagement with the lighting circuit stationary contact 27. The handle37 is movable into five different positions namely: park, ofi, ignition,dim, on and is resilient- 1'5 ly maintained in either of these positionsdue to the cooperation of the spherical contacts 53' with the conicallyrecessed stationary contacts 27 with which each contact 53 is maintainedin engagement by a spring 50.

The handle 37 is limited in its movement by the engagement of a lug 70extending from the plate 43 with either of two stop lugs 71 which areformed by partly punching out and bending portions of a wall 72 of the vbracket 20. The wall 72 cooperates with an arcuate wall 73 to enclose anarcuate recess 74 through which the lug 70 moves and into which the lug71 extends.

The parts of the switch are assembled by making the sub-assembly of thebracket.20,

the dial plate 30, and the bezel ring 31. The gin 44 is assembled withthe switch back 25. efore the back 25 it attached to the bracket 20, thehandle 37 is passed through the dial plate 30 from the inner surfacethereof, the

hole surrounded by the bearing 35 being large enough to permit movementof the handle through it. Then the plates 43, 46 and parts attached tothe plate 46 as shown 40 in Fig. 6 are assembled within the case 24 andare attached to the handle 37 by causing the tangs 41 to extend throughthe rectangular holes 42 in the plates 43 and 46. Then the switch back25 is secured tothe case 24. The

45 springs not only maintain the movable contacts'in engagement with thestationary contacts but also urge the plate 46 toward the plate 43, theplate .43 against the flanges 38, 39 and 40 of the handle and urge these50- flanges against the inside surface of the dial plate 30. Thereforeall end play between these parts is taken up by the spring so that theswitch will not be noisy when subjected to vibration.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention-ashereindisclosed, constitutestion pressed therein substantially perpen dicularto said dial plate to form a switch insulated rotary contact platesdrivingly connected to but insulated from said'hub portion, each of saidcontact plates having'contactpoints arranged to engage certain of saidstationary contacts on said switch back.

2. An electric switch comprising, a stationary casing having a frontdial plate and an insulated switch back carrying a series of stationarycontacts, a switch handle having a hub portion j ournalled within anaperture in said dial plate, two rotary contact plates axially spacedapart by an insulating member and both drivingly connected to butindividually insulated from said hub portion, each of said contactplates having contact points arranged to engage certain of saidstationary contacts. r

3. An electric switch comprising, a stationary casing having a frontdialplate and an insulated switch back carrying a series of stationarycontacts, a switch handle having a hub portion journalled within anaperture in said dial plate, an insulating block fixed to said hubportion, a journal pin coaxial with said hub and supported thereby atone end and supported by said switch back at its other end, an insulatedrotary contact plate journalled upon said'pin and drivingly connected tosaid hub, said contact plate having contact points engageable with saidstationary contacts.

4. An electric swltch comprising, a stationary casing having a frontdial plate and an insulated switch back carrying a series of sta tionarycontacts, a switch handle having a hub'portion j ournalled within anaperture in said dial plate, an insulating block fixed to said hubportion, a journal pin coaxial with, said hub and supported thereby atone end.

and supported by said switch back at its other end, two individuallyinsulated rotary contact plates journalled upon said pin and bothdrivingly connected to said hub, each of saidcontact plates havingcontact points engageable with certain of said stationary contacts onsaid switch back.

5. An electric switch comprising, a stationary casing having a frontdial plate and an insulated switch back carrying a series of stationarycontacts, a switch handle having a hub portion journalled within anaperture in said dial plate, an insulating block fixed to said hubportion, a journal pin coaxial with said hub and supported thereby atone end and supported by said switch back at its other end, twoindividually insulated rotary contact plates journalled upon said pinand both drivingly connected to saidhub, each of said contact plateshaving contact points engageable with certain of said stationarycontacts 011 said switch back, and spring means interposed between saidinsulating block and said contact plates for yieldably urging theseelements toward said dial plate and switch back respectively.

6. An electric switch comprising, a stationary casing having a frontdial plate and an insulated switch back carrying a series of stationarycontacts, a switch'handle having a hub portion journalled within anaperture in said dial plate, an insulating block fixed to said hubportion, a journal pin coaxial with said hub and supported thereby atone end and supported by said switch back at its other end, an insulatedrotary contact plate journalled upon said pin and drivingly connected tosaid hub, said contact plate having contact points engageable with saidstationary contacts, and a series of coil springs in terposed betweensaid insulating block and said contact plate for yieldably urging theseelements'toward said dial plate and switch back respectively.

7. An electric switch comprising, in combination, a pressed sheet metalmounting bracket having a dial plate fixed thereto, said mountingbracket having a cylindrical portion pressed therein substantiallyperpendicular to said dial plate to form a switch mechanism caseintegral with said bracket, a sta tionary switch back carrying terminalsand stationary contacts fixed to the rear end of said cylindricalportion, a switch handle having a hub portion journalled within anaperture in saiddial plate, two rotary contact plates axially spacedapart by an insulating member and both drivingly connected to but Iindividually insulated from said hub portion,

each of said contact plates having contact points arranged to engagecertain of said stationary contacts. 8. An electric switch comprising,in combination, a pressed sheet metal mounting bracket having a dialplate fixed thereto, said mounting bracket having a cylindrical portionpressed therein substantially perpendicular to said dial plate to form aswitch mechanism case integral with said bracket, a stationary switchback carrying terminals and stationary contacts fixed to the rear end ofsaid cylindrical portion, movable switch mechanism within said case andhaving movable contacts, and a switch handle having a hub portionextending through said dial plate and operatively connected with saidmovable contacts, an insulating block fixed to said hub portion, ajournal pin coaxial with said hub and supported thereby at one end, andsupported by said switch back at its other end,- two individuallyinsulated rotary contact plates journalled upon said pin and bothdrivingly conected to said hub, each of said contact plates havingcontact points engageable with certain of said stationary contacts onsaid switch back, and spring means interposed between said insulatingblock and said contact plates for yieldably urging these elements towardsaid dial plate and switch back respectively.

9. An electric switch comprising, a sta-' tionary casing having a frontdial plate and an insulated switch back carrying a series of stationarycontacts, a supporting plate spaced from the dial plate and forming partof the said case, a switch handle having a hub portion journalled withinan aperture in said dial plate, two axially spaced rotary contact platesdrivingly connected to but insulated from said hub portion each of saidcontact plates having contact points arranged to engage certain of saidstationary contacts on said switch back.

10. An electric switch comprising, acasing having a front plate and aninsulated switch back carrying a series of stationary contacts, abracket secured to the plate, a switch handle journalled in said frontplate and lying between it and the bracket, .and two rotary contactplates axially spaced apart by an. insulating member and both drivinglyconnected to but individually insulated from said handle. I

11. An electric switch comprising, a casin having a front plate and aninsulated switc back carrying a series of stationary contacts, a bracketsupporting the plate and forming part of the casing, a switch handlejournalled in said front plate, two rotary contact plates axially spacedapart by an insulating member and both drivingly connected to butindividuallyinsulated from said handle, each of said contact plateshaving contact points arranged to engage certain of said stationarycontacts.

12. An electrieswitchcomprising, in combination, a pressed sheet metalmounting bracket having a dial plate fixed thereto, said mountingbracket having a cylindrical portion pressed therein substantiallyperpendicular to said dial plate to form a switch mechanism caseintegral with said bracket, a stationary switch back carrying terminalsand stationary contacts 'fixed to the rear end of said cylindricalportion, a switch handle having a hub portion journalled within an.aperture in said dial plate, two rotary contact plates axially spacedapart by an insulating member and both drivingly connected to butindividually insulated from said handle, each of said contact'plateshaving contact points arranged to engage certain of said stationarycontacts.

13. An electric switch comprising, a stationary casing integrally formedwith a flange to provide an attaching bracket, and having a front dialplate fixed thereto, and an insulated switch back carrying a series ofstationary contacts, a switch handle having a hub portion journalledwithin an aperture in said dial plate, axially spaced rotarycontact-plates supported by an insulating member and drivingly connectedto but individually insulated from said handle, and each of said contactplates arranged to engage certain of said stationary contacts.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature.

HARRY E. NORVIEL.

